


Missed Opportunities

by Ayearandaday



Series: Miss-matched [2]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Ben is besotted, Ben is dying to marry Rey, Devoted Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Everyone ships them, F/M, Fluff and Humor, HEA, Karma is a Bitch, Marriage Proposal, Soulmates, When romantic is too romantic?, but overcomplicates things, everyone is Reylo, failed marriage proposals, new year celebration
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 14:14:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,895
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22158424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ayearandaday/pseuds/Ayearandaday
Summary: Karma was a bitch. First you turn down the chance to meet your soulmate again and again, then you just can’t ask her to be your wife, no matter what.Or five times Ben Solo failed to propose the love of his life and one time he didn't.
Relationships: Kylo Ren/Rey, Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Series: Miss-matched [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1594930
Comments: 10
Kudos: 185





	Missed Opportunities

**Author's Note:**

> A year ago I published my first fanfic ever, which coincidentally was the first piece of fiction I've written since high school. It was a nerve-wracking experience, especially since English isn't my first (or second) language, but I don't regret it for a second. Writing is a fun hobby and it helped me to process a lot of challenges this year brought. 
> 
> But what I like best is people here. I, being my shy introvertive self, stay away from social media and all the drama, but AO3 is full of amazing supportive people who always have kind things to say. I've even got an absolutely wonderful Beta who helps making my fics more readable. fulcrum_of_pemberley, thank you so much for being your amazing self and helping me to fix and improve my writing! And thank everyone for all the comments and kudos, guys, you are the best!
> 
> I have a lot of hopes this year, let's see what it will bring us!

You can’t escape your fate. Ben’s fate found him on New Year’s Eve in the form of a beautiful hazel-eyed girl and he hadn’t looked back ever since. Ten minutes in, he knew he had it bad. One hour later, Ben realized there was no turning back. The next day he concluded that Rey was _it_ for him. Like his father had always said, when you know, you know.

They spent the evening (and night) together, talking about everything and nothing until they fell asleep on Leia’s couch. They spent the next day together as well and had been inseparable ever since. Somehow they clicked in every single way possible and if there were such a thing as soulmates, that’s them. Sure, Ben had to live with all the times his family reminded him that “they told him so”, but it was worth it.

Things had moved fast. Twenty minutes in he asked for her number. An hour in he secured a date. Four months in they moved in together and two months after _that_ , Ben asked Leia for the ring. His mother teared up, of course, until her usual micromanaging self kicked in and she started considering the technicalities. Han called his wife General for a reason.

“How you are going to ask her?” Leia looked at him intently, probably already considering guests and venues.

“Not sure yet,” he confessed. “I want to do it right.”

His mother narrowed her eyes dangerously. “Ben, it should be _perfect_. If you pull the shit your father did I don’t know what I’ll do to you.” Han’s half-assed attempt at a proposal was legendary, as was the fact that Leia made him redo it properly the next time.

“Mom, I’m not going to be like _that_.” Rey deserved a galaxy and a galaxy she would get.

“Why don’t you take her to Naboo?” his mother suggested. “The lake country is really romantic this time of year.” Not to mention that greenery and water were Rey’s second and third favorite things after food.

“I like that idea,” Ben smiled.

Leia grinned in a way that made him quickly reconsider. “Great! Now listen here.”

The Naboo countryside was gorgeous. Ben made a mental note to thank his mom again for the suggestion. Every single expression of amazement on Rey’s face was worth it. If he knew that a simple weekend there would bring her so much happiness he would have done it much earlier.

“And all of this seriously belonged to your grandparents?” his girl asked as they headed toward the lake, loaded with picnic food.

“My grandma came from old money,” Ben explained lightly.

“Unbelievable.”

“No one will bother us here,” he smiled, happy to enjoy the privacy (and the fact that his parents were visiting the Naberries instead of anxiously waiting around for him to pop the question).

“I can’t decide whether you want to hide my body or don’t want to get sued for public indecency,” Rey joked.

“Definitely the latter.” He would gladly do anything indecent with his future fiancée. “How about here?” Ben pointed at a spot with a good view at the lake.

“Perfect. I can’t believe this is my first picnic,” Rey sighed dreamily, adjusting the blanket on the grass. 

“Anything for you, Sweetheart.” He would make her every wish come true, one way or another.

She probably picked up on his mood because she leaned in to kiss him. “Love you,” Rey smiled.

He grinned right back. His hand involuntarily found the ring box. This was it. This was happening.

The day was perfect. It was neither too hot, nor too cold, the view was wonderful and so was the food. Or so he thought, until Rey frowned at him. “Ben, there’s an ant on your strawberry.”

“Shit.” He flicked away the insect. “On the sandwiches, too.”

“And on the pastries. Ow!” she yelped as an ant bit her.

Ben jumped in alarm. Things weren’t going according to his plan.

“Shit! Please, tell me we didn’t sit on an ant hill.”

Of course they did. How was it possible for everything to go wrong so quickly?

“Let’s get out of here,” Rey suggested, starting to pack their things.

Ben couldn’t agree more. He needed to salvage this and fast. A sudden wave of inspiration hit him.

“Baby, have you ever gone boating?”

Rey looked at him curiously. “Nope. Why?”

“Would you like to?” Ben asked, nodding toward the boat house. Boating _was_ romantic, right?

“Really?”

“I just want you to enjoy the weekend.”

“I already am. I’m with you,” she smiled sweetly, making his heart soar. What did he do to deserve this gorgeous woman?

Alas, it was not his day. “Ben, have _you_ ever gone boating?” Rey asked suspiciously as he struggled to remember how rowing worked. It was so easy in theory, in practice, though….

“Yes, it’s just been a while,” he grunted.

“Mhm.” She sounded unconvinced.

Finally they made it to the middle of the lake and Ben realized he’d found the perfect spot. The quietness and beauty of their surroundings couldn’t leave anyone indifferent. Rey looked around with pure amazement and he regretted that no one was there to take a photo. She looked like an angel and yet again he was reminded why he wanted to put a ring on her finger. Ben’s hand found the ring box.

“Sweetheart…”

“Look at the water lilies!” she gasped. “So beautiful.”

“Rey,” he tried again.

“Wow, was that a fish? A real fish?!”

“Sweetheart.” Nothing. She was way too excited. Perhaps it was time to bring out the big guns. He decided it was the right time to kneel.

In hindsight it was a _very_ wrong decision.

“Ben, what are you…” Rey started as the boat rocked dangerously.

She never finished her question. He never popped his. One second he was opening the ring box, the next they were both in the water, the box nowhere to be seen. Not only had he failed to propose, he had lost a precious heirloom, too. Desperate, Ben dove under only to be dragged up by his girlfriend.

“What are you doing, you idiot, that way,” Rey hissed, helping him to reach the boat. The day had officially turned into a nightmare.

He was wallowing in guilt and despair, which was probably the reason why he didn’t notice the car as they approached the house.

“Is that the Falcon?” Rey pointed out.

Ben’s heart dropped. His parents had probably come to congratulate the happy couple, and he…

“Go get dried off, Sweetheart,” he said gently to Rey who, being wet and miserable, decided not to argue this once. With his girlfriend upstairs and out of earshot, he headed to face his parents’ fury. 

“What the hell, Ben?!” was the first thing Leia said. “You take the box but leave the ring just lying out on my dresser?!” she snapped. _Wait, what?_ “And why are you dripping all over the carpet?!”

“I can’t believe you did that,” Poe guffawed.

“Stop laughing,” Ben grumbled.

“Dude, you really want to get hitched,” Finn shook his head.

“You have no idea.”

Poe, Finn, and Rose exchanged looks that suggested that yes, they totally did. .

“Why didn’t you ask us?” the woman questioned.

Ben looked at Rose, the most reasonable out of the three of them. Why indeed?

“Yep, we would have helped you with the most romantic proposal ever,” Finn quipped.

“Hell, we _will_ help you with the most romantic proposal ever,” Poe supported him.

Ben glanced between the three of them dubiously. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

Poe rolled his eyes. “Hear me out, buddy.”

Rey followed him, puzzled. “Ben, where are we going?”

“To see the sunrise on Aldera Bridge,” he answered automatically. It was as good a reason as any.

His girlfriend frowned. “The sun has already risen,” she pointed out.

“Yeah, but…” He couldn’t explain to her that Rose couldn’t get good pictures of them during an actual sunrise because it’d be too dark, right? “We’re having a brunch later.” Ben deflected.

“Brunch? Maybe it won’t be so bad,” Rey mused. She wasn’t an early riser, but she was willing to indulge him this once.

“I promise, it’ll be worth your while,” Ben reassured her. This was the morning she’ll remember for the rest of her life.

Aldera Bridge was one of her favorite spots, as Finn had pointed out. After growing up in the desert Rey had an odd affinity to water. Because of the early morning the bridge was empty. The sky was still painted into light pink tones and the view was perfect.

“It’s beautiful. I’ve never been here this early,” she smiled, walking across the bridge. She leaned on the banister and Ben realized it was his perfect moment.

“Rey,” he started. She turned to him and Ben prepared to launch into his speech when a bicyclist suddenly passed between them. “Sweetheart,” he called again, cursing at the idiot. Who would go for a ride this early?

“Wait a second, I have to get my phone,” she interrupted him.

His phone started buzzing, too. Ben cursed out aloud. “What the fuck?” he muttered, declining the call. “Rey…” Another cyclist passed between them. The wretched phone buzzed again. “Hello,” he yelled angrily at the unfortunate caller. Across from him his girlfriend did the same.

“Ben, thank god,” Rose sounded alarmed, “take Rey and get the fuck out of there.”

“What? Why?” Who on earth was going to ruin it this time?!

“It’s Coruscant’s annual bicycle ride…” The rest was drowned in the horrible noise created by a horde of bicyclists beeping their horns.

“Fuck me!” Ben yelled, pressing himself into the banister. This couldn’t possibly be real. But it was.

He didn’t know how long he and Rey waited for all of the cyclists to pass, but eventually the bridge cleared and he let out a relieved sigh. Three familiar figures sprinted toward them.

“Guys, are you OK?”

Rey looked at Finn, Poe, and Rose with a baffled expression. “What are _you_ doing here?”

“We…” The three of them glanced at Ben who looked back with wide eyes. “Ugh, we wanted to see the bicycle ride?” Rose said unsurely.

“Yep, that,” Poe supported her. “And then we saw you on the bridge.”

Rey blinked. “Me?”

“No, Ben.” Finn smiled awkwardly. “He’s hard to miss. You OK?”

“Yeah,” Rey nodded. “Or I will be. I remember _someone_ promised me brunch.” She looked at Ben pointedly. He sighed, his hand fiddling with the ring box.

“Let’s do that.”

“I can’t believe you checked the weather, the temperature, the fucking cloud coverage, but forgot about the bloody bridge,” Hux snorted loudly.

“Yeah, make fun at my expense,” Ben grumbled. For the umpteenth time he wondered why he considered the obnoxious ginger his friend. They were enemies, well, frenemies, back at Snoke’s, but then things changed. Ben wasn’t sure if it was for the better.

“Seriously, Solo, you should’ve tried harder,” the ginger shook his head in amusement.

“Said the man who proposed during breakfast. “Pass the salt. Also how about we get married?”” Phasma snorted. Hux side-eyed her.

“You’re just as bad yourself since you agreed.”

“Not helping,” Ben muttered.

Mitaka looked at him sympathetically. “Why didn’t you take her to a restaurant like a normal person?”

“Will _you_ take Thanisson to a restaurant?” That effectively shut the other man up.

“Romantics.” Hux rolled his eyes. “What if I offer you something in-between?”

Ben frowned at the ginger. “I’m listening.”

“A cruise. The location, food, and music are already figured out. Romantic as fuck.”

“Very promising,” Ben scoffed at the description.

“Luckily for you I can provide you with tickets,” Hux continued, unperturbed. “For free.”

Ben eyed him suspiciously. Why was he being so nice? “I have a bad feeling about this.”

“Hey, they’re from my old man.”

“Because he didn’t want to go,” Phasma quipped with a smirk. Her husband glared at her.

“And you?” Ben prompted. There had to be a catch.

“Am a generous soul,” the ginger supplied.

Phasma snorted loudly. “He’s seasick. All Huxes are.” Her husband glared at her again.

Ben frowned at him. “Aren’t you British? You ruled over the seas and all.”

“Fuck you,” the ginger retorted. “Do you want the tickets or not?”

 _Not_ would be the right answer. But for Rey…

“OK.”

“This is amazing,” Rey breathed out, eyeing the yacht. 

“Hope so,” Ben smiled. Finally he could do the thing he dreamed about for so long.

“So much to explore.” Her eyes lit up with enthusiasm. “Love you.”

“Love you, too,” he smiled. The weekend was going to be a marvel.

“Baby, are you ready for the romantic dinner?” Ben asked Rey through the bathroom door.

“Ugh, I’m not sure.” His poor girl looked positively green.

“Are you OK?” He asked with worry.

Rey’s eyes rounded and she darted to the bathroom again.

“I think I’m seasick.”

The hopes Ben held for the trip went down in flames. How, how was that possible? It was supposed to be a romantic experience and now… “Aren’t you British?” he blurted the first thing he could think of.

She gave him a dirty eye. “Ben, I literally grew up in a desert.” The yacht swayed again and Rey disappeared back in the bathroom.

“Shit,” Ben muttered to himself, his hand toying with the ring box. “Shit, shit, shit. I’ll fucking kill Hux.”

“I feel like I’m cursed,” he grumbled to his uncle at work. “Things can go wrong one time, OK, two times, but three in a row?!”

Luke gave him his patented serene smile. “Maybe Rey doesn’t do well with water?”

“Huh?” Ben frowned. This was a brand new thought.

“The lake, the river, the sea, sounds like a pattern to me,” his uncle shrugged.

“Where should I take her? To the desert?” Ben scoffed. He only wanted to put a ring on Rey’s finger in a romantic place. Why did things have to be so complicated?

Luke shook his head. “Oh, no, not sand. Coarse, rough, and irritating. Don’t do that.”

“What _should_ I do?” Ben asked desperately.

“Ask someone who has proposed at least once in his life?” His uncle smiled sheepishly.

“I might have an idea,” suddenly suggested Luke’s young assistant. Ben had genuinely forgotten there were other people in the room.

“Lanai! Don’t meddle!” the other professor chastised her.

“Professor Auka, he sounds like he needs all the help he can get,” pointed out the assistant, a young enthusiastic woman.

“That’s true,” Ben agreed. Things had decidedly gotten out of hand.

“Listen, what do you think about a public proposal?” the girl suggested.

“Like at a baseball game or something?”

“No, no, I mean, you are going to give a lecture soon, right?” the girl asked. “How about an additional slide or two in the end? The lights turn on, her photo is on the screen, ‘will you marry me?’ in bold letters, someone brings in a bouquet, you get down on your knee, she says yes, happily ever after?”

Ben liked the sound of that, especially the happily ever after part. It sounded like one of those YouTube videos. Girls loved things like that, right?

“Lanai, stop this nonsense,” Professor Auka demanded. The woman was way too stiff for his liking.

“I think it’s a good idea,” he interjected.

“See, Professor,” Lanai smiled. Professor Auka pinched her lips.

“Kids these days,” she muttered.

“What do you think, Uncle Luke?” Ben looked at the older man who shook his head pensively.

“This won’t go the way you think.”

Ben was slightly on edge the whole day. First the flower shop had a mix-up and the delivery was canceled. Then there were some issues with his presentation. But he got it all figured out. He was a man on a mission and he was going to propose one way or another. “…and that’s why I don’t regret picking Software Engineering. Now…” he made a sign toward Lanai to change the slide when the light went out. “What the…”

“Don’t worry, the power will be back in a moment,” someone loudly announced as a confused auditorium turned the lights on their phones.

“Or not,” someone supplied helpfully.

“The generators?”

“Down.”

“…blackout…”

“The whole district…”

“You OK?” Rey reached the lector’s stand. No, he was not. His perfect proposal was ruined and the ring was burning a hole in his pocket.

“Yeah,” Ben smiled wryly. Lanai gave him a sympathetic glance.

“Come on, it’s going to be a while,” his girlfriend called.

“Sorry, I didn’t expect that,” Lanai whispered to him on his way down.

“Believe me, neither did I,” Ben sighed.

Karma was a bitch. First you turn down the chance to meet your soulmate again and again, then you just can’t ask her to be your wife, no matter what. Freaking Solo luck.

“The usual?” Maz interrupted his pathetic musing.

“Yeah.” The usual story. Four times – and all for nothing. Ben was dying to make Rey his for the rest of his life, but the opportunity disappeared every fucking time, no matter how hard he tried. Maybe that was the point? Maybe he shouldn’t try so hard? Suddenly he had an idea. “Hey, Maz, do you have an empty cup?”

The tiny woman scoffed and handed him a paper cup. “You are at a coffee shop.” With a grin Ben fished out the (new) ring box, got the ring out and dropped it into the cup right under Maz’s alarmed gaze. “Please tell me that wasn’t what I think it was.”

He only smirked at the woman. She would see everything with her own eyes soon.

“Hi, love,” Rey greeted him, dropping a kiss on his cheek.

Ben smiled. “Sweetheart, your coffee.” Finally. It was happening.

She picked the cup and frowned. “It’s empty.”

“It’s not,” he insisted.

Rey opened her mouth to argue, but then her phone buzzed. “Give me a second,” she sighed. “What? Yes, yes, don’t do that. Yes, I’ll swing by. In ten minutes.” She ended the call. “Sorry, work trouble. I’ve got to go,” Rey smiled apologetically before putting her cup back on the counter and grabbing Ben’s.

“No, baby, wait…”

“Love you, bye.”

And just like that she was gone. How the fuck was this happening again?!

“Ben Solo,” Maz reminded him suddenly of her presence,, “this was the most half-assed proposal I’ve ever seen in my life and I have seen a fair share of those. What the fuck were you thinking?!”

“I wasn’t,” he snapped back.

“I can tell,” the woman narrowed her eyes dangerously. “This is Rey we are talking about. What the hell?!” Maz glared at him accusingly.

“Because I’m fucking done!” Ben shouted. “No matter what I do I just can’t propose to her!”

The coffee shop went quiet. Very quiet. Every single person turned to look at him with various levels of curiosity.

“Nothing’s going on,” Maz announced loudly. “Go back to whatever you were doing. So?” she turned to Ben. 

The woman was probably a witch or something because the words just poured out of him. The ill-fated boating attempt. The horrible bridge experience. The nightmarish cruise. The embarrassing lecture. Every single thing.

“Oh, Ben,” the woman sighed. “You Solo men are _idiots_.”

He snorted. “What’s new? I’m fucking cursed.”

A wrinkled hand lifted his chin. “Look at me, boy. Sometimes curses are blessings in disguise.”

“So it’s a blessing I can’t marry the love of my life?” Ben asked wryly.

“What does Rey treasure the most?” Maz asked instead of answering.

He didn’t hesitate.

“Family.”

“And the least?”

Ben frowned. “Fancy stuff?”

She smiled contentedly. “You keep overthinking things. Kneeling _in a boat_? Timing the sun position for a photoshoot? A cruise? Public proposal? Were you trying to coerce her?”

“What? No!” He was horrified to even think about it. Was he trying to _force_ her?

“Ben, Rey doesn’t care for any of this,” Maz pointed out. “She loves simplicity. She would be happy to get this ring not because it’s a diamond, but because it belonged to your grandmother. She wouldn’t want to share this moment with strangers because it’s about _you two_.”

He stared at the old woman with mouth agape. “I’m an idiot.”

“You’re an idiot,” she smirked. “Listen to your heart, not to ill-fitting advice.”

“You would make a mighty fine coach, you know?” Ben smiled weakly.

. Maz rolled her eyes.

“I’m fine right here. Good luck, lover boy.”

After his talk with Maz Ben reconsidered a lot. At the end of the day he didn’t want a Pinterest-perfect proposal, he only wanted to see Rey happy and preferably married to him. The rest was just noise.

Alas, things didn’t go the way he thought again. December was a busy month for both him and Rey. Work had his hands too full to consider proposing again. And then both of them got the flu. Christmas was a quiet family affair. Ben could have given her the ring as a gift, but who wanted to get proposed to when their nose was rivaling Rudolph’s?

New Year’s was equally quiet. Leia, who got sick, too, didn’t have the time or energy for a huge bash, limiting it only to the family and closest friends. Ben liked it even more like that. Besides, it was his and Rey’s anniversary. Proper anniversary, that is. She looked like a goddess in her green dress, totally out of his league. How he was so lucky he had no idea.

“A dance?” Ben offered her his hand which Rey happily took.

“With you? Always.” She leaned her head on his chest as his arms wrapped around her waist. “I wish it would never end,” Rey murmured softly.

“What, Sweetheart?”

“You, me,” she smiled at him shyly, “us, like this.”

If only Rey knew that she voiced his biggest hope. That she read his mind. Suddenly Ben knew what he had to do.

“It won’t. Rey…” He took a deep breath. “Remember how we finally met properly a year ago?”

She smiled fondly. “How could I forget that? It was quite dramatic.”

Ben chuckled. “It was.” He nuzzled her hair before letting her go. Rey looked at him, puzzled. “Sweetheart, this year was the best year of my life because of you. I have never felt such a connection before. You make me happier, lighter, a better man. You are my other half and I can’t imagine my life without you.”

_Twelve_

“I love you more than anything else in the world.”

_Eleven_

“So,” he looked at her beautiful dear face, etched with confusion.

_Ten_

Ben got on one knee and opened the ring box. She gasped.

_Nine_

“Will you marry me?”

_Eight_

He looked at her with hope and adoration, offering her his name, his heart, and his life to share.

_Seven_

Rey was crying. And smiling. And nodding. “Yes, yes, stars, yes!”

_Six_

With shaky hands Ben got the ring out.

_Five_

It easily slid onto her finger, as if it were meant to be there.

_Four_

He surged up, his arms wrapping around his fiancée.

_Three_

Smiling through her tears, Rey leaned in to meet him.

_Two_

Their lips met in the middle and finally they both found the belonging they sought.

_One_

_Happy New Year!_


End file.
